Call the cavalry! Team of firefighters rescues horse from icy swimming pool upside down by its hooves

When Zakie bolted for freedom with the wind in its mane from a field in Germany, it couldn't have imagined the horrific fate in store.

The gelding only made it as far as a neighbouring house's back garden, where it fell into an ice-covered swimming pool full of freezing cold water.

Luckily, the householders in Essen heard the noise made by the panicked animal.

They tried to free it but with no luck.

Zaki the horse fell in a neighbour's pool and had to be rescued. Step one was officers draining out the water

The distraught gelding received comfort and a warm blanket as officers devised their plan in the falling snow

Owner Heinz Ufer was quick to the scene to comfort his pet after neighbours found the horse in the frigid swimming pool

The fire brigade were called to rescue the poor six-year-old, 800-kilo horse from the water.

A fire brigade spokesman said: 'We have the lifting gear but we could not manage to around the panicked animal - in the end we decided to drain out all the water and we were then able to rescue the horse.'

After the pool was pumped dry, as worried owner Heinz Ufer stood by offering comfort, Zaki was hoisted upside-down and removed by a crane

The animal was then taken to a nearby animal sanctuary where special sunlamps were used to warm him up. He is now back to full health - and back in his field.

Zaki was hoisted upside-down out of the pool by a crane

Zaki recovered on a tarp under reflective blankets for a few minutes after safely reaching land

Zaki was back up on his hooves and and led away by Ufer after he was freed. He then went under some special sunlamps to finish warming up